president's address. 27 



flowers and insects. But while we ask our botanists and 

 entomologists for information on variations, we should look 

 to, and we do look to, our geologists to give us the evidences 

 of the changes we suspect. We must be sure that geological 

 and climatic conditions have changed, and in what directions. 



It is with feelings of pride in the section to which I have 

 the honour to belong that I draw attention to the work that 

 has been accomplished by the indefatigable members of that 

 section. I may, I think, claim that work of some importance 

 has been effected by the persistent examination of the 

 l'Ancresse peat bed by Mr. Hocart, to whom the Society is 

 deeply indebted. You will find on reference to the printed 

 detail that the bones, first found by Mr. Hocart, and then 

 under his guidance by the Society, has linked our times with 

 the late neolithic period, during which the cromlech builders 

 were hunting red deer and wild boar through a forest which 

 existed where we now have a sandy bay and deep water. 

 The bones of the deer found are sufficient to prove to us that 

 we have not found all that exist there, and I say now that the 

 Society will miss a great opportunity if they allow the matter 

 to end here. The deposit should be systematically worked 

 next year. Whilst alluding to Mr. Hocart's work in this 

 connection it may be permissible for me to ask your attention 

 to the underground openings which, through Mr. Hocart, the 

 Society has viewed. There is a great difference of opinion as 

 to their use. I think the literature of the subject should be 

 worked up by a sub-section appointed for the purpose, and a 

 full discussion be had as soon as we are acquainted with the 

 uses of like structures found elsewhere. In the meantime, 

 possibly we may persuade Mr. Hocart to look for others in 

 the same district. 



The geological work of the year has largely consisted of 

 routine w^ork, adding persistently to the detail as to the 

 numbers of dykes, their features and directions, and such 

 useful but uninteresting every day work, the importance of 

 which will only be evident when generalisations come to be 

 made from the accumulated data. 



One great problem has, however, been mooted by the 

 section, for the work of the year has placed before us the 

 question " Has Guernsey been involved in the glacial con- 

 ditions of the so-called ' Ice Age ' ?" 



We have hitherto been content to accept the statement 

 of English geologists that no marks of glaciation are to be 

 found in the south of England, and that therefore we were 

 free from, because outside of, glacial phenomena and influence. 



